When You Lay Sleeping
by morgan1yam
Summary: Jane has had a really rough day, especially dealing with this fiasco called her feelings for Jake. When she finally sleeps, she does not expect the ghosts of two trolls to come while she's dreaming, if only to support her for a small amount of time. Crojanidan CronusxJanexEridan (Washboard Cookies) if you squint hard.


**A/N: Okay, so... this will be weird, and it will be sorta crack-y if you squint, but I hope you enjoy. If you have problems reading troll text I'm sorry, but I typed it out as the would have in pesterchum.**

** Andrew Hussy owns everything Homestuck related... and my soul.**

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_"Dreams are more real than reality itself, they are closer to the self."_

_Gao Xingjian_

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She was all out of hope.

And it was tough, really tough. You spend many months of your life, liking a guy, getting ready to tell him just how much you actually like him, and in a bumbling blue burst of awkward feelings, not only do you tell Jake that you don't like him, but you manage to convince him to get into a relationship with another guy.

You are Jane Crocker, and you're pretty sure you're going to end up crying yourself to sleep tonight.

Screw the game, screw Roxy and all of her misspelled advice on what to do, you don't really mean that last part, but you are done. Besides, it'll take a while for everyone else to get everything downloaded and ready for their sessions, so you have enough time to spare for a quick rest. It seemed like after the conversation, everyone got the clue that you really weren't up for talking. You were the heiress to the Crocker Corporation, but right now, you really couldn't stand being second best... As always.

You turned off your computer screen, closed the curtains and turned off the lights. You just wanted to be alone for a while. As soon as you're under the sheets, your head resting on your pillow, the tears come, along with the chest aching sobs. Why, why did you have to mess up everything? Not only did you just ruin your chance with Jake, but you're pretty sure you will never look at Dirk the same. You always thought he was a pretty cool guy, that Strider, he was always so smart, and he was capable of handling 'so many irons in the fire'. You never really got it, but you could bake two cakes in the oven at the same time, and that had to be close. But right now, cool or not, smart with many irons, you hated him.

You hated yourself for hating him too.

Your sobs are dying out now, not because your done crying, but because your exhausted and don't have the energy to sob anymore. Your eyes shut together, and you know you're going to have a rough time opening them when you wake up again. But right now you don't want to think anymore.

So you sigh softly, slipping into unconsciousness, and start to dream instead.

Your breath evens out, and your soft sighs of air are all that can be heard in the room other than the low whir of your still running computer. It is a silence your sleeping body is quite accustomed to.

Until the floorboards of your room creak.

In the darkness, two male figures materialize. The taller of the two appeared with a simple white shirt and black pants combo, though he did have dual odd scars upon his head. His black hair was slicked back, just like in those old forties musicals. The other donned a more ridiculous ensemble with a black sweater, blue and black striped pants, and a blue striped scarf trailing around his neck and over his shoulders. His hair was black like the others, except for a flash of purple locks. Both were very peculiar though, their shirts carried a violet symbol for Aquarius. Their skin tone was odd, an almost unnoticed gray in the din of your room, fins were situated where ears would normally be located, and odd lightning shaped horns sprouted from their heads. Their eyes were also an eerie white.

Not that you noticed all of this, you were still sleeping.

The greaser, that would be the one in the white shirt, pulled a cigarette from his pocket and placed it between his lips before stepping closer to your sleeping body. He stopped next to the edge of the bed, looking down at you, a small smile on his lips.

Which was definitely contradictory to the other... fellow.

His face was twisted up into a sneer, showing off pointed teeth. You figured that he wasn't a very happy... thing? Must have had a hard time or something, or maybe he was just a brat by nature. He stomped over to his companion, before sneaking a glance down at you. He didn't get what was so special about this alien pink sack of flesh, that would be you, but his ancestor seemed enamored with her already. But then again, his ancestor never did make much sense.

"Wwhat are you doing Cronus?" the temperamental one asked, his voice made you stir, and your dreams interpreted the sound of his voice as waves crashing into a shoreline. It was oddly soothing compared to what he was acting like. You blamed his voice and it's wobbling w's.

The question was aimed at his companion, who had-

What the hell is this? He's sitting on your bed next to you. Wait. Whoa! What is he doing to your hair!?

Wait, your asleep, you don't know what he's doing to your hair. He's playing with it though, a short lock of your hair is being twirled between two of his fingers.

"Nothing huge Eridan, calm your fins. You're messing vwith my wvibes." His voice was deeper than the others, and it did have a twang that was heavily associated with those of the forties. you didn't get the whole accent though, the forties did not make v's and w's sound like that.

"Wwhat vvibes? Your just about as vvibey as a dead lusus." Even though he spoke harshly, his voice had calmed slightly from earlier. The floorboards near your bed creaked as he shifted his weight about. It seems like he's almost anxious.

Their conversation was held in light tones, as if they were afraid you would awaken… not that someone playing with your hair wouldn't wake you up. It was soothing though, and it lulled you into a deeper state of dreaming.

You heard this Cronus fellow tut slightly before you felt calloused fingers brush across your cheeks and gently under your eyes, whisking up stray tears that were still escaping your sore puffy eyes. "Poor kitten, she's had it rough."

"Wwell duh, wwhy else wwould wwe be here?" The other one asked before huffing somberly. "Shit man, wwhen wwe came up with this, none of us thought it wwould be this tough." you heard a rustle of his clothing, like he was fidgeting with it. It was probably the scarf.

Cronus hummed in agreement. He slid further onto the bed, swinging his legs up onto it carefully. He was now propped up against your head board, his hand still playing with your hair absentmindedly,while the other focused on keeping your face dry. "Ewvery one else thought that too. But vwhat else are vwe to do? All us ghosts can only be here to comfort them vwhen they are catching some z's. It's the only time vwhen they are close enough to our little bubbles for us to interact vwith them physically."

Cronus looked up to Eridan before motioning him to get onto the bed on the other side of you. Eridan shook his head in disagreement before Cronus spoke once more. "Hey man, you're not the only one in pain here, you knovw vwhy vwe came here."

With a heavy sigh, Eridan crawled over to the other side of you, his warmth felt oddly nice at your side and you felt safe. A small sigh of content was released from your lips. Eridan wasn't touching you in any form, his arms we crossed and it was obvious that he was pouting. But unconsciously you reached for him anyways. Your hand slithered out from underneath your pillow, palm facing up and fingers twitching subtly.

You weren't sure why, but your body yearned for their touch, it was so warm to you, as if it was filled with a white hot emotion of some sort, but you couldn't put a name to it. You were asleep always, so you really didn't care for much other than the fact that you were dreaming of flying sea horses now. You kinda wish you had one.

"I still don't get wwhy wwe wwere the ones summoned to her. You'd assume Fef or Pexies wwould, y'knoww? Like elements and all that stuff."

"That's Just it though, she already has an abundance of life, vwhy vwould she need more?" Cronus responded, tangling his fingers into your hair more. "She needed us, or vwhat vwe are. Kitten needs a bit of hope right now, and vwe deliwver. Especially because of that douchey Jake fellovw."

"Yeah, I don't get that either, girl's pretty much throwin' herself at him, and he friend zones her. Wwhat givves?"

"Human hope players obwviously don't have us trolls' svwagger, he probably don't ewven realize what a svweet catch this cat is." you could tell he was smirking as this was said. Whatever a troll was, these ones were egotistical.

Your fingers once again reach for the pouting one, but this time he concedes and places his warm hand in yours. His fingers twine in between yours, and his thumb soothes the side of your hand in soft slow strokes. Oddly enough, everything feels balanced now, as if a heavy weight has been lifted. You feel rested, and stir slightly as wakefulness slowly creeps up upon you.

"Ah, the connection is dimming; she's gonna be vwaking soon."

"Yeah..."

"You'wve grovwn attached too huh? You said you vwouldn't."

"I didn't knoww it'd be like this though. They are oddly attractive for lowwblood landwwellers."

"It's hard the first time, but hopefully, this is the last time this kitten vwill need our interference." Cronus sighed mournfully; it almost seemed like he knew what was going to happen later.

Eridan grasped your hand tighter like he didn't really wish to let go. "It's not fair, I'd givve anyfin to be able to help out more. I get it though, I did some really stupid shit, And I'd probably do it again. But they don't deservve the stuff ahead."

"Hey man, all I did vwas get blovwn up."

You hear Eridan huff at Cronus, before they quietly trade scathing remarks over your sleeping self.

Cronus stopped the banter before releasing your hair from his grasp. He sighed lowly before leaning over to pat the distraught one on the shoulder. "C'mon man, vwe'wve gotta go..."

Eridan released your hand with another scornful huff. The two presences dissipated from beside you, leaving no particals in their wake. Moments later, the room around you felt lighter, as if something was missing. You opened your eyes slowly, stirring into wakefulness. You find your eyes not crusted over with the muck left over from crying, something that you anticipated. Your left hand felt... off though. It was warm and tingly, you flexed your fingers experimentally before rolling to the right of your bed.

This section was oddly warm, and smelt of tobacco. Was your father here while you were sleeping? You certainly hoped not, you didn't want him to see you in that kind of state. It didn't really feel like he was there though, that brand of tobacco wasn't one he used, and the air seemed to smell slightly of sea breezes.

Definitely not your dad then.

Maybe Lil' Sebastian popped in, that rascal. Thinking of Lil' Sebastian got you thinking about his maker though, and you were prepared for the flash of hate to roll through you once more.

Oddly enough though, it seemed like you don't really care anymore.

So what if Jake finds Dirk insanely attractive, and is going to pursue him. You don't give a darn. There are other fish in the sea, and Jake can't be the only classic adventure out there. Besides, you have a game to play, and puzzles to solve, you can worry about Jake and boyfriends another day.

With a new hop in your step, you get out of bed and turn your monitor back on to respond to all of the pesters you revived while you were sleeping. The was a whole list of them from Roxy, of course, Auto responder was getting on your case, and Jake was asking you about what to do about his 'situation'. You gave a sigh before responding, it wasn't something you really wanted to do... but you felt livelier, warmer than previously.

You had a new hope.

... Or was it two.

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**A/N: Well? what did you think? I hope it was positive things. I might do a spin off of this story, but it most likely will stay the one-shot it is. I came up with it when I was having a rather harsh day, and I couldn't help but think of what people who don't have 'supporters' would do in harsh circumstances. I'm glad I came up with this one though.**


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